Removable Drone Docking Pontoon for Multi-Type Marine Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ships specialized for drone launch and recovery are not adaptable to different types of drones and expose personnel to dangerous sea and weather conditions during operations.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring a floating pontoon with a removable drone interface module, designed to handle marine or underwater drones, allowing for simple launching and recovery by floating on water and incorporating a catamaran-shaped structure with interchangeable drone interface modules that can be lowered and raised, ensuring stability and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a ship is specialized for launching and recovery of a specific drone type, then the launch and recovery operation can be performed effectively, but the ship cannot handle different types of drones
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional modules: a pontoon for launch/recovery operations and interchangeable drone interface modules specific to each drone type. This segmentation allows the pontoon to remain while only the interface module needs to be changed for different drone types, resolving the contradiction between specialized operation capability and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The pontoon is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate multiple types of drone interface modules through standardized mounting mechanisms. This multi-functionality allows the same pontoon to effectively launch and recover different drone types by simply swapping the interface module, maintaining operational effectiveness while gaining versatility.
2Ease of operation
If personnel are exposed to elements during drone preparation and handling operations, then operations can be performed, but personnel face dangerous sea and weather conditions and risk falling overboard
Solution Approach 1:
The pontoon serves as an intermediary floating platform between the ship and the drone interface module. All drone preparation and handling operations occur on the pontoon, which can be positioned away from the ship in calmer waters. This intermediary allows personnel to perform operations with reduced exposure to harsh sea and weather conditions while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pontoon creates a stable, floating work platform that provides a relatively calm environment for drone operations compared to the open sea. By establishing this equipotential working surface, personnel can handle drones safely with minimized risk of falling overboard, while still being able to deploy to various sea conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables safe and efficient handling of various drones by minimizing exposure to harsh conditions and reducing the risk of accidents, while maintaining stability and adaptability for different drone types.
Implementation Method 1
a system for handling marine or underwater drones via a floating pontoon
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a system (1, 2) (1, 4) for handling marine (3) or underwater (5) drones, the system (1, 2) (1, 4) comprising a drone interface module (2, 4) and a floating pontoon (1) with two hulls (11) and an arch (10), the pontoon (1) is catamaran-shaped and delimits a downflooded reception space (17), the arch (10) comprises at least one device (12) for attachment to a winch cable, the pontoon (1) comprises devices (13) for detachable attachment to a drone interface module (2, 4) detachably and interchangeably installed in the receiving space (17), the drone interface modules (2, 4) forming an at least partially flooded docking area (23, 42) for the drone (3, 5), the drone interface modules (2, 4) have a lower portion (22, 43) configured to rest stably on a flat surface after the drone interface module (2, 4) has been removed from the pontoon (1).